Folding bathtub for infants



Jan. 11, 1955 vrr 2,698,948

FOLDING BATHTUB FOR INFANTS Filed Sept. 9. 1952 3 She'ets-Sheetl Jan. 11, 1955 A. LEVITT FOLDING BATHTUB FOR INFANTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 9, 1952 v Inventor; Id Levitt A W20 95%;, c A tty.

Jan. 11, 1955 -r1" 2,698,948

FOLDING BATHTUB FOR INFANTS Filed Sept. 9, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent G FOLDING BATHTUB FOR INFANTS Arnold Levitt, Brighton, Mass. Application September 9, 1952, Serial No. 308,574

4 Claims. (Cl. 4-177) This invention relates to a folding bathtub for bathing infants, and particularly to a bathtub of this type which is designed to be supported on the top of the ordinary or adult bathtub.

One object of the invention is to provide an infants folding bathtub which, when not in use, can be folded up into a small space while still mounted on the regular bathtub, and which when in its folded position will not interfere in any way with the normal use of the regular bathtub.

A further object of the invention is to provide a folding bathtub for infants which has associated therewith a dressing table that can be swung into an inoperative vertical position while the infants tub is being used, and which can also be swung into a horizontal position resting on the infants tub for the purpose of supporting the infant while being dressed or having his diapers changed, said table top also being operative to function as a screen to hide the infants tub when the latter is in its folded inoperative position.

In the drawings wherein I have illustrated some embodiments of the invention:

Fig. l is a side view showing a portion of the regular tub with the infants bathtub embodying my invention mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is a view illustrating the infants tub in its folded condition.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the folding frame by which the infants tub is supported.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the manner of clamping the infants tub to the regular bathtub when the infants tub is in its open or expanded position.

Fig. is an enlarged section on the line 5-5, Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the manner of permanently anchoring the rear end of the infants bathtub to the regular tub.

Fig. 7 is a view illustrating the position of the infants folding tub on the regular bathtub both when in the open or expanded and in the folded condition.

In the drawings 1 indicates a regular bathtub such as will be found in any well equipped bathroom. The infants bathtub embodying my invention is indicated at 2, and it is formed from some flexible material impervious to water such, for instance, as some plastic material or rubberized fabric. The infants bathtub 2 is supported by a folding frame such as illustrated in Fig. 3 and which comprises two U-shaped members 4 and 5 pivotally connected at their ends by a knuckle type joint 6 which permits the frame to fold in one direction, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 3, but not in the opposite direction. The upper edge of the folding tub 2 is provided with loop portions 47 through which the frame sections 4 and 5 extend. This folding frame is supported on the edge of the regular tub 1 by means of two pairs of posts, including a pair of rear posts 7 and a pair of front posts 8. The frame section 4 is pivoted to the upper end of the rear posts 7, as shown at 9, and the front frame section 5 is pivoted to the upper end of the front posts 8, as indicated at 10. The rear posts 7 are fixedly secured to the regular tub I in any suitable way, while the front posts 8 are slidably mounted on the top of the tub I to permit the infants tub 2 to be folded, as shown in Fig. 2, or to be expanded into its open position, as shown in Fig. 1.

While any suitable means for securing the rear posts 7 to the tub I may be employed, each post is herein shown as having a foot member 11 secured to its lower end which is formed with a semi-circular portion 12 that overlies the top edge of the tub 1. The end portion 13 of the foot carries a clamping screw 14 by which the foot may be clamped to the tub is clearly seen in Fig. 6. The lower end of the rear legs 12 are shown as connected by an extensible brace member 15 comprising the two sections 16 and 17 that are adjustably connected by means of the screw 18.

Each front leg 8 has a foot member 19 secured to its lower end which overlies and rests on the top edge of the tub 1, thus permitting the front legs to be moved toward and from the rear legs for the purpose of folding the infants tub 2 or expanding it into its open condition.

The front legs also have associated therewith means for clamping them to the tub I in order to hold said front legs in either their operative position illustrated in Fig. 1 or their folded position illustrated in Fig. 2. For this purpose each front leg 8 has a depending support 20 in which is slidably mounted a member 21 carrying at its outer end a pad 22 to engage the side of the tub 1. The two members 21 are connected by a toggle device consisting of the two toggle members 23 and 24 which are pivoted to the members 21 respectively, said toggle members being pivotally connected together at 25. When the toggle device 23, 24 is broken, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 4, the pads 22 will be separated slightly from the Wall of the tub 1, and when the parts are in this condition the front posts 8 are free to slide along the top of the tub 1 for folding the infants tub 2.

When the toggle device 23, 24 is straightened, as shown in full lines, the pads 22 are pressed firmly against the side of the tub 1, and thus the front legs 8 are locked in position.

The toggle member 24 has a U-shaped extension 26 rigid therewith which by its engagement with the member 23 prevents said toggle members 23, 24 from being bent gowngvardly below their straightened position shown in It is intended that the rear posts 7 shall be mounted on the tub I closely adjacent the rear end of said tub, and hence when the infants tub 2 is folded, as shown in Fig. 2, the folded tub will be located at the rear end of the regular tub I and in a position which will not interfere in any way with the normal use of said regular tub.

Associated with the folding tub is a dressing table 27 on which the infant can be supported while being dressed, etc. The table member 27 is so mounted that it can be swung into a vertical inoperative position in front of the front legs 8, as shown in full lines, Fig. 1, or can be moved into a horizontal operative position in which it overlies the open tub 2, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. l. The dressing table is preferably made with a skeleton frame 28 covered with a canvas 49, or some similar flexible material, and each side rail 28 has secured thereto a metal guide member 29 having a longitudinally extending slot 30, the guiding member 29 being of a length to extend from one end of the table member 27 to a point just beyond the center thereof.

Each leg 8 has rigidly mounted therein at its upper end a supporting bracket 31 which has an upright portion 32 that terminates at its upper end in an inwardly directed portion 33 that extends through the slot 30 of the guiding member 29, the inner end 34 of said inwardly turned portion 33 being provided with a head which retains the portion 33 in the slot 30. The inwardly bent portions 33 of the two brackets constitute trunnions on which the table member 27 can be turned to swing it from its vertical position, shown in Fig. 1, into a horizontal position.

When the table member 27 is in the vertical position shown in full lines, Fig. 1, the trunnions 33 are located at the inner end of the slots 30 and at about the center of the length dimension of said member, and the table top extends from the bottom of the legs 8 to a point somewhat above the upper end of said legs.

When the table top is to be moved into its operative position, it is first swung about the trunnions 33 into a horizontal position, as indicated in Fig. 1, and then said table top is moved horizontally until it overlies the full length of the expanded tub 2, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, this movement being permitted because of the slots 30. When the table top is in its horizontal operative position, it then can be used for supporting the infant while he is being dressed, or while he is having his diapers changed, or while he is being fed from a nursing bottle.

When the tub 2 is to be folded, the table top 27 is swung into its vertical position shown in full lines, Fig. 1, and then the toggle device 23, 24 is broken to unclamp the front legs from the tub 1, after which the frame sections 4, 5 can be folded upwardly and the front legs 8 slid along the top of the tub 1 until they come into a position closely adjacent the rear legs, as shown in Fig. 2.

When the tub 2 is thus folded it occupies a relatively small space at the end of the tub 1, and the table top 27, which is then in a vertical position, extends sufiiciently above the front legs 8 to screen and thus to hide the folded tub 2.

I will preferably employ suitable hooks to hook the legs 7 and 8 together when the tub 2 is folded, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

If the regular tub 1 is so placed in a bathroom that the rear end abuts a wall 36, as illustrated in Fig. 1, then an adjustable bumper 41 may be secured to one or both of the rear legs 7, which bumper rests against the wall 36 and thus helps to steady the folding tub.

The folding tub 2 will be provided with a discharge pipe or tube 39 through which the water in said folding tub can be drained into the regular tub 1. A clamping device 40 of any well-known structure can be employed in connection with the drain tube 39 to close the latter while the tub 2 is being used and to open said drain tube when the tub 2 is to be drained.

The tub 2 can be filled by attaching a short length of hose pipe to the regular faucet of the tub 1.

If desired, a toggle-joint locking device similar to the toggle device 23, 24 shown in Fig. 4 may be used for securing the rear posts 7 to the tub 1, instead of the securing means shown in Fig. 6.

I claim:

1. A folding bathtub for infants adapted to be mounted on the top edge of a standard bathtub, said folding bathtub comprising an elongated rectangular frame, the opposite longer side members of which are each formed in two sections of substantially equal length pivoted together to permit the frame to be folded upwardly, an infants bathtub of flexible material carried by said frame and extending from one end to the other thereof, two pairs of legs by which the frame is supported on the top edge of the standard bathtub, means pivotally connecting the upper ends of one pair of legs to one end of the rectangular frame, means pivotally connecting the upper ends of the other pair of legs to the other end of said frame, means fixedly securing the lower ends of one pair of legs to the top edge of the standard bathtub adjacent the rear end thereof, a foot member secured to the lower ends of each leg of the other pair and resting on the top edge of the standard bathtub for sliding movement towards the lower ends of the legs that are fixedly held in position when the infants bathtub is to be folded, and away from said lower ends when the infants bathtub is to be open for use, whereby said infants bathtub, when in its folded condition, is located at one end of the standard bathtub and does not interfere with the normal use thereof.

2. A folding bathtub for'infants as defined in claim 1 and which includes a combined table top member and screen, means providing a sliding pivotal connection between said table top member, and the upper ends of one pair of legs, the sliding movement of which connection extends from approximately the center of the table top member to one end thereof, whereby said table top member can be swung from an inoperative vertical position with the upper half thereof extending above the legs into an operative horizontal position overlying and extending the full length of the folding bathtub when the latter is in its open condition, said upper half of the combined table top member and screen when in its vertical position with the infants bathtub folded extending above the top of the legs and screening the folded bathtub and the lower half being located in front of the folded legs and screening them.

3. A folding bathtub for infants as defined in claim 1 and which includes a toggle joint clamping means to clamp the lower ends of the legs having the foot members to the standard bathtub either when said legs are in their open position or their folded position.

4. A folding bathtub for infants as defined in claim 1 in which the toggle joint clamping means is provided with pads to engage the inside of the standard bathtub, which pads are clamped against the sides of the tub by the toggle joint action of said clamping means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 645,513 McGregor Mar. 13, 1900 1,327,866 Hagstrom Jan. 13, 1920 1,427,598 Jackson Aug. 29, 1922 1,750,698 Abbott Mar. 18, 1930 1,870,488 Bleustein Aug. 9, 1932 1,883,660 Feldman Oct. 18, 1932 2,465,909 Merrett Mar. 29, 1949 

